Combined hook and handle

ABSTRACT

A reusable plastic bag and particularly a combined closure and carrying means for such a bag. The closure and carrying means comprises two elongate strip portions which are heat-sealed to respectively opposing walls of the bag mouth, and with fastening or locking means on the adjacent faces to permit sealing of the mouth of the bag. The closure and carrying means comprises two handgrip defining bow portions, each of which is joined with, and extends laterally outward of a respective one of the elongate strips, and are adapted to overlie each other when the bag mouth is closed; however, the two bow portions are not centered along the length of the respective elongate strips, but are rather positioned offcenter. Integrally formed with each bow portion is a hook which is formed as an elongation of the upper part of each bow portion, and each hook is centrally disposed relative to the elongate strips to permit each bag to be hung in a balanced position from a rod or the like.

United States Patent [72] lnventors Daniel E. Gelles Kerhonkson;

Seymour Kamins, Oceanside, N.Y. [21] Appl. No. 786,242 [22] Filed Dec. 23,1968 [45] Patented Jan. 26, 1971 [73] Assignee CTP Industries Inc.

Brooklyn, N.Y.

a corporation [54] COMBINED HOOK AND HANDLE 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. C1 229/54, 150/12 [51] B65d 33/06 [50] 229/24; 150/ 12 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,348,761 10/1967 Vetter 229/54 3,310,224 3/1967 Laguerre 229/54 3,451,613 6/1969 Sande 229/54 3,452,922 7/1969 Hart ABSTRACT: A reusable plastic bag and particularly a combined closure and carrying means for such a bag. The closure and carrying means comprises two elongate strip portions which are heat-sealed to respectively opposing walls of the bag mouth, and with fastening or locking means on the adjacent faces to permit sealing of the mouth of the bag. The closure and carrying means comprises two handgrip defining bow portions, each of which is joined with, and extends laterally outward of a respective one of the elongate strips, and are adapted to overlie each other when the bag mouth is'closed; however, the two bow portions are not centered along the length of the respective elongate strips, but are rather positioned oifcenter. lntegrally formed with each bow portion is a hook which is formed as an elongation of the upper part of each bow portion, and each hook is centrally disposed relative to the elongate strips to permit each bag to be hung in a balanced position from a rod or the like.

PATENIED mes um -FIG. 3.

INVENTORS Daniel E. Gel/es Seymour Kamins BY f u/2,364, yy g ATTORNEY COMBINED HOOK AND HANDLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of bags made of thermoplastic material are known in the art. Many such prior art bags include a combination carrying and closure means for the bag which makes it possible to provide a tight closure thereof so that its contents cannot readily be lost, nor can dirt, or moisture readily enter the bag.

It is also well known in the art to provide bags whose main body portion is formed of a thin film of thermoplastic material, such as the more common vinyl or polyethylene plastics. The prior art further teaches the use of a combination carrying and closure means for such a thin film plastic bag which is I heat-sealed or cemented or otherwise fastened to the thin film.

It is also common to fabricate the carrying and closure means from thermoplastic material having a substantially heavier guage than that of the thin film used for the main portion of the bag since this provides a desirable rigidity to the mouth of the bag, thereby making it more convenient to open the bag and to maintain it open for obtaining access to the bags interior. v

In addition to the foregoing, it is also known in the art to provide a combination carrying and closure means, which consists essentially of two generally congruent strips of a semirigid material, such as a heavy g'uage plastic, which are welded or heat-sealed to the mouth of the bag. To open the bag, it is then only necessary to grasp the two handle portions with ones right and left hands respectively and separate the two handle portions. Quite often, a securing or locking means is employed, which tends to hold the two oppositely disposed handle portions together, thereby effectively maintaining a tight closure of the mouth of the bag. In its most practical form, such a fastening means may comprise frictionally engaging studs and recesses as shown, for example, in the US. Pat. No. 3,140,038, to Laguerre.

Carrier bags of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Laguerre patent have achieved great commercial success throughout the world. Bags of that type are believed to represent the first low cost, reusable carrier bags. Reusable carrier bags have previously been known, but have generally been of rather substantial cost, thereby making them unattractive for use by a merchandiser, because of the competitive disadvantage which results from attempting to market goods in packaging materials of high cost. At the same time, inexpensive packaging materials, and particularly plastic bags have not been indefinitely reusable. Thus, the combination of low cost with reusability, in a closable carrier bag, capable of being attractively decorated with advertising or the like, have resulted in outstanding commercial success of the Laguerretype bags.

One of the most attractive features of the bags of the Laguerre patent mentioned above is the convenience in carrying of such bags, which comprise a central gripping bow extending laterally outward from each of a pair of elongate plastic strips, each strip being heat-sealed to the mouth of the bag. Such bows provide a convenient hand grip for carrying the bag, even when heavily loaded. I

At the same time, there has frequently been a need to provide an alternative type of carrying means; namely, a hook which readily adapts the carrier bag to being displayed, prior to sale, from a display rod or the like. It has been found that the ability to display packaged goods in carrier bags and while hung from a display rod or the like contributes greatly to the saleability of the goods. Attempts have been made to facilitate carrier bags for such display on a rod, by providing a recess or indentation along the inner edge of the outwardly-extending bow portion, such recess providing a detent into which a rod can fit. However, it has been found that this is not an entirely satisfactory solution to the problem because of the tendency of the handle portion to slide laterallyof the rod, thereby resulting in an unbalanced support for the bag, which tends to tilt the bags in various positions, rather than allowing them to hang vertically. Another problem is that the provision of a recess in the bow portion still necessarily requires that the rod or similar supporting structure be threaded through each handle, and this becomes impossible where the store fixture or like support is of a type where the supporting rods are firmly supported with no free end available which can be threaded through a plurality of handles. It is, thus, highly desirable that the structure be one wherein a hook is provided which is of an open-type construction, so that it can readily be placed over a rod.

The use of a hook instead of a handle, although providing the advantages mentioned above, has the disadvantage of interfering with the carrying of the bag, since convenient carrying can only take place when a hand grip is provided through which one may insert ones fingers to support the bag. In the prior copending application of John Schmidt and Seymour Kamins, Ser. No. 740,681, filed Jun. 27, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,495,763, there is disclosed a combination hook and handle in which the handle is of generally conventional U- shape and with the hook formed integrally therewith and extending upwardly above the bight portion of the handle. In this prior application, it is illustrated that the hook portion may be joined with the handle portion along a rupturable tear-line, so that, upon sale of the goods, the purchaser may tear oh the hook, and thereafter use the bag entirely as a handle bag with no interference from the projecting hook. Of course, when this is done, the purchaser can then no longer suspend the bag from the hook.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The foregoing disadvantages have been overcome by the combination of this invention which provides a combination handle-hook carrying means in combination with a closure means for thermoplastic carrier bags. According to the invention, the closure and carrying means comprises two elongate strip portions, which may be separate pieces, or may be integrally formed at their ends, together with an outwardly extending bow portion which is generally U-shaped, and which is joined with a respective one of the elongate strips at each of the legs of the U-shaped handle portion. The U-shaped handle portion is not disposed centrally along the two strip portions, but rather is offset toward and end thereof. This is done to permit a hook portion to be formed integrally with the U-shaped portion and centrally along the strip and with no part of the hook portion extending above the handle portion. Thus, the hook portion is formed as an extension of the bight of the U- shaped handle portion, and the offsetting of the handle portions toward one end pennits the hook to be centrally located along the respective closure strips so that the bag may be hung from a rod in a balanced condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In describing this invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a thermoplastic carrying bag having a closure and carrying means in accordance with the present invention, whereby the carrying means comprises both a handle and a hook portion;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the section line 2-2 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF, THE INVENTION FIG 1 is a perspective view of a carrier bag constructed according to the present invention and comprising bag walls 10 and 10a formed of a thin-film thermoplastic material and a combined closure and carrying means 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the combined closure and carrying means 11 is inserted preferably within the bag walls at the mouth of the bag, and preferably the bag walls 10 and [0a are heat-sealed to the elongate thermoplastic strips 12 and 13, which form a portion of the two overlying portions of the combined handle and carrying means. The heat-sealing of the bag walls to the elongate strips 12 and 13 is effected in a manner well known in the art, although it should be noted that the sealing is effected only along a sealing portion comprising the lowermost edge portions of the elongate strips 12 and 13. The reason for this is to avoid the application of heat in the immediate region of the stud and recess closure means 16,17, as this would otherwise cause some deformation of the studs and recesses and, therefore, make it difficult to detach the two strip portions 12 and 13 from each other.

The cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 shows the two strip portions 12 and 13, which in the preferred embodiment of the invention are preferably integrally secured at their ends 14 and 15 as shown in H0. 1, so as to fonn a unitary closure and carrying means.

FIG. 3 shows a typical stud and recess closure means for detachably securing the two strips 12 and 13. Thus, a protruding stud 16 frictionally engages with the surrounding walls of a recess 17 formed in the opposing member. Additional such closure means may be provided as indicated, for example, at 18 and 19. Although only three such stud and recess combinations are shown in FIG. 1, it will be apparent that more or less of these can be used if desired.

As clearly illustrated in FIG. 1, the carrying means of the present invention includes a generally U-shaped bow portion having a horizontal bight portion 19a which is generally parallel with the elongate strip portions 12 and 13, and also depending leg portions 20 and 21 which join' the portion 18 with the respective strips 12 and 13. The handle portion thus described is located clearly to one side of the central portion of the strips 12 and 13 in order that the hook portion 22 can be centrally located and thus permit the bag to be hung in a balanced fashion from a rod or the like. The hook portion 22 is formed essentially as an extension of the horizontal portion 191:, but bends downwardly towards its extremity at 23 to provide a hook-type configuration. 7

With the construction shown, one can readily carry the bag by grasping the handle portion and inserting ones fingers through the recess defined by the portions 19a, 20, and 21. However, the bag may, interchangeably, at any time be hung from a rod or the like by means of the hook 22.

Both the hook and the handle portions of FIG. 1 may be substantially altered in configuration to produce different esthetic designs. Also, the two strip portions 12 and 13 may not necessarily be integrally joined at their end portions, but may instead be in the form of completely different strips. Also, the concept of the invention is in no way limited to the use of thermoplastic materials.

The invention has been disclosed herein as being particularly adapted for use as a combination hook and handle intended to be secured to the mouth of a carrier bag. It will be apparent that the invention is also adaptable for use in carrying clothing, for example, in place of the conventional coat hanger, Thus, such hangers may be uncomfortable to carry, especially when a heavy suit or the like is hung thereon. By providing the combination hook and handle construction of this invention. it is possible to carry a quite heavy load in comfort by using the hand grip portion and yet hang the hanger from a rod by the hanger portion when desired.

1 claim:

1. A reclosable carrier bag comprising bag walls ofa flexible material and a carrying means secured to at least one of said bag walls at the mouth of the bag; said carrying means comprising at least one member having an elongate strip portion adapted to be secured to a corresponding bag wall and an upwardly-extending bow portion of generally inverted U-shape formed integrally with said elongate strip portion and defining an enclosed finger-receiving access for carrying said bag; and means comprising a member forming substantially an extension of the bight portion of said U-shaped bow portion but lying laterally to one side of said finger-receiving access portion to define a hook by which said bag may be supported as from a rod or the like.

2. The carrier bag of claim 1 in which said portion which extends laterally outwardly of said access curves toward said elongate strip portion to form a curved hook.

3. The carrier bag of claim 1 in which said U-shaped handle portion is ofi'set to one side of the center of said elongate strip portion and said hook portion is substantially centered on said elongate strip portion. I

4. The carrier bag of claim 1 in which said carrying means comprises two generally congruent portions which are adapted to overlie each other when the bag mouth is closed.

5. The carrier bag'of claim 4 which further includes means for securing together said two overlying portions at a plurality of spaced locations.

6. The carrier bag of claim 4 in which said two generally congruent portions are integrally joined at their respective ends.

7. The carrier bag of claim 6 in which said bag walls and said carrying means are both formed of a thermoplastic material.

8. The carrier bag of claim 7 in which said carrying means is heat-sealed to said bag walls.

9. A combination handle and hook means for selectively carrying a load and for suspending the load from a supporting rod or the like comprising, an elongate strip portion and an upwardly-extending closed bow portion of generally inverted U-shape formed integrally with said strip and defining a hand receiving access, said bow portion having its bight portion ex tending laterally to one side outwardly of said U-shaped hand access portion to define a hook, said strip portion being adapted to support the load.

10. The combination of claim 9 in which said U-shaped handle access portion is offset to one side of center of said elongate strip portion and said hook portion is substantially centered on said elongate strip portion. 

1. A reclosable carrier bag comprising bag walls of a flexible material and a carrying means secured to at least one of said bag walls at the mouth of the bag; said carrying means comprising at least one member having an elongate strip portion adapted to be secured to a corresponding bag wall and an upwardly-extending bow portion of generally inverted U-shape formed integrally with said elongate strip portion and defining an enclosed finger-receiving access for carrying said bag; and means comprising a member forming substantially an extension of the bight portion of said U-shaped bow portion but lying laterally to one side of said finger-receiving access portion to define a hook by which said bag may be supported as from a rod or the like.
 2. The carrier bag of claim 1 in which said portion which extends laterally outwardly of said access curves toward said elongate strip portion to form a curved hook.
 3. The carrier bag of claim 1 in which said U-shaped handle portion is offset to one side of the center of said elongate strip portion and said hook portion is substantially centered on said elongate strip portion.
 4. The carrier bag of claim 1 in which said carrying means comprises two generally congruent portions which are adapted to overlie each other when the bag mouth is closed.
 5. The carrier bag of claim 4 which further includes means for securing together said two overlying portions at a plurality of spaced locations.
 6. The carrier bag of claim 4 in which said two generally congruent portions are integrally joined at their respective ends.
 7. The carrier bag of claim 6 in which said bag walls and said carrying means are both formed of a thermoplastic material.
 8. The carrier bag of claim 7 in which said carrying means is heat-sealed to said bag walls.
 9. A combination handle and hook means for selectively carrying a load and for suspending the load from a supporting rod or the like comprising, an elongate strip portion and an upwardly-extending closed bow portion of generally inverted U-shape formed integrally with said strip and defining a hand receiving access, said bow portion having its bight portion extending laterally to one side outwardly of said U-shaped hand access portion to define a hook, said strip portion being adapted to support the load.
 10. The combination of claim 9 in which said U-shaped handle access portion is offset to one side of center of said elongate strip portion and said hook portion is substantially centered on said elongate strip portion. 